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As I’ve made my way along the grain-free path, I’ve often found myself craving rice. Honestly, it’s been the only grain that I miss. So when I discovered lots of grain-free foodies turning cauliflower into “rice,” I must admit, I was a bit skeptical. But thank goodness my curiosity was greater than my doubt, because I truly enjoy this newfound alternative!
In fact, I’ve been having lots of tasty-fun creating my own versions of cauli-rice like this highly versatile, yet simple, seasoned cauliflower rice dish. So if you’ve been on the fence about trying cauli-rice too, let me assure you – it’s absolutely delicious, nutritious, and really easy to make!
Wondering how to magically transform cauliflower into a highly nutritious grain-free rice dish? Let me show you just how simple it is …
How to Make Cauliflower Rice …
Step 1: Rinse and Dry a Head of Cauliflower
Purchase a large head of cauliflower; rinse well and dry thoroughly before cutting. I usually get my cauliflower from Trader Joe’s because they sell it by the head, not by the pound. (So you guessed it, I dig around in search of the largest cauliflower in the bin. And you should too! After all, the bigger the cauliflower, the more rice you’ll have to enjoy!)
Step 2: Cut Out the Core of the Cauliflower and Cut into Florets
Place the core face up and then carefully use a sharp knife to cut in a circular pattern around the core. Removing the core makes it much easier to cut the cauliflower into even-sized florets.
Step 3: Using a Food Processor, Pulse Cauliflower Florets into Rice
Place half of the cauliflower florets into a food processor. Cover and pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice grains.
By slowly pulsing the cauliflower, you will be able to carefully monitor your progress in reaching grain-sized pieces.
Step 4: Sauté and Steam the Cauliflower in a Large Skillet
Add the cauliflower rice to a large skillet and cook as directed in the recipe below. It only takes about 10-15 minutes to cook cauli-rice, so it really is a pretty quick dish to put together even on a busy night. (Especially if you process the cauliflower on your prep day and place it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. See recipe instructions below for details.)
Step 5: Enjoy!
For those of us who’ve been missing rice, cauli-rice is a dream come true! You simply won’t believe how delicious cauli-rice is until you try it for yourself. It’s mild flavor and rice-like texture makes it the perfect addition to any meal that calls for rice.
Ready to give cauli-rice a try?
Below you’ll find my simple seasoned cauli-rice recipe. It really is a delicious grain-free alternative to rice! Use it as a base for your favorite stir fry. Or serve it alongside your favorite grilled meats, poultry, fish and veggies.
And by changing the herbs used, you can create a customized flavorful “rice” dish to complement just about any main dish you desire. (See recipe notes for details.)
P.S. The lovely napkins featured in these photos are courtesy of my friends at Hen House Linens. I just adore their beautiful table linens, and even more so, their mission to make mealtimes special by adding a touch of warmth and beauty to the table.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 2 tbsp ghee (or butter)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup fine diced yellow onion
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup homemade chicken stock
- 1-2 tbsp minced fresh parsley (see note below for more options)
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into florets, and then use a food processor to pulse the florets into rice-like grains as described in the above photo tutorial. Set riced cauliflower aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the ghee, olive oil and onion. Sauté onion until it begins to soften. Then, add the salt, dried parsley, garlic powder and pepper. Stir well to combine the seasonings with the onion. Continue to cook onion another 1-2 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the riced cauliflower to the seasoned onion and stir well to combine. Continue stirring and sautéing the cauli-rice until it begins to soften (about 5 minutes).
- Add the chicken stock and cover the skillet. Allow the cauli-rice to steam for about 5 minutes until the stock is absorbed and the cauli-rice reaches desired texture.
- Remove cover, add the minced fresh parsley and fluff cauli-rice to combine.
- Makes a tasty and nutritious grain-free “rice” dish to serve alongside your favorite healthy meals.
Notes
Recipe Variation: By changing the herbs in this recipe, you can create customized cauli-rice to complement you main dish. For example, substitute minced fresh cilantro for the fresh parsley and add about 1/4 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp chili powder to create a delicious Mexi-Style Cauli-Rice.
Time Saving Tip: You can process a head of cauliflower into rice up to 3-4 days in advance. Store the uncooked cauli-rice in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to cook. Cooked rice should also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and generally tastes great for up to 2-3 days. However, I do not recommend freezing uncooked or cooked cauli-rice, as it becomes mushy.
For even more delicious cauliflower rice recipes, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Meals Made Simple by Danielle Walker. It’s truly one of my favorite grain-free cookbooks, and it’s what finally convinced me to give cauli-rice a try. Yum!
Aishah M says
We love cauliflower rice. It’s a great grain-free alternative. Thanks for sharing.
Kelly says
My pleasure! I agree. It’s definitely a wonderful way to enjoy “rice” without the rice. 🙂 LOL!
Sarah Jordan says
I have everything on hand right now! Can’t wait to try!
Kelly says
Yay! If you enjoy cauliflower, I am certain you will love this. It’s so mild and delicious. It’s the texture that really makes it feel like you’re actually eating rice. 🙂
Ann Heywood says
Hi Kelly
When I first heard of cauli-rice a few years ago Iwas sceptical – but I tried it – however I was told to hand shred the cauliflower with a knife!! It ended up all over my kitchen!!
Since then I have used a similar method to yours with far more success – it can be microwaved too but needs fequent stirring and care or it will go to mush at the bottom and sides of the dish and be hard in the middle.
I certainly agree with you that its a useful dish that can so easily be varied to suit the other dishes in the meal.
Ann
Kelly says
Wow, Ann. I cannot imagine the mess of trying to fine-chop cauliflower. Just coring it and separating it into florets can result in those tiny little pieces flying everywhere 🙂 Thank goodness for food processors! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
Dominica says
You MUST try the blender method of making cauliflower rice! It’s life-changing, trust me. I’m posting the link to the video below, but all you need to do is cut the cauliflower into chunks, like you showed, put as much at a time as will fit in your blender, add water to the line, pulse for 30 seconds or so, then drain in a fine mesh strainer. So easy! I have a 3 cup food processor, and making cauliflower rice in it was a half hour of frustration for me, and then I stumbled upon the blender method. I even use my smoothie blender for it, and it works like a charm.
http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2012/05/the-fastest-way-to-rice-cauliflower-video/
Kelly says
Thank you so much for sharing. I always love trying new methods to save time. 🙂
julie says
When am I supposed to use the olive oil?
Kelly says
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know I left the olive oil out of the recipe instructions. It’s added at the same time as the ghee. I’ve updated the recipe to reflect this. Thank you again for bringing this oversight to my attention. Blessings, Kelly 🙂
Kelsey says
Can’t wait to try! Is there any way this can be made without the butter & olive oil? Ie. Pam cooking spray or spray butter? Thank you for the fantastic recipe!
Kelly says
Hi, Kelsey. Thanks for your kind words. I just want to encourage you that healthy fats are actually a very important part of good nutrition and a healthy metabolism. So I would really encourage you to use them in your cooking adventures rather than sprays like Pam, which contain harmful chemicals. It’s much safer and healthier to use natural oils such as butter, ghee (clarified butter), coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, etc. Blessings to you! 🙂 Kelly
Shannon says
How long will this stay good on the fridge? I woul only make up a serving or two at a time .
Kelly says
It does well if served the next day. But I don’t recommend keeping it beyond 1 day in the fridge. The cauliflower flavor can become very intense the longer it sits in the fridge. 🙂
Denelle says
I just made this. SOOO good!!! Perfect side dish. I used a yellow/orange cauliflower, and it made such a pretty dish. Thanks.
Kelly says
I love that colored cauliflower too! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Denelle. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a kind note! Hope you’re having a super blessed Fall season! 🙂